[oman-l] My research on Oman

[Soumyen Bandyopadhyay]

Dear Dr Duester

If you would remember, last year I had got in touch with you regarding my
research interest on Oman. You had sent me a communication asking me to give
details of my publication and current research in that area. Although a bit
delayed, please find a selected list of my papers in that area. I hope this
will be useful. My interest in Oman affairs could be summarised as follows:
Traditional architecture of Oman, links with social and cultural issues and
how these had shaped the architecture. Aesthetics of traditional
architecture. Recent architecture of Oman, the socio-political framework of
this new architecture, environmental issues related to the new architecture.

I am currently involved in looking at the traditional architecture of Bilad
Manh in the Jawf, and am completing a doctoral thesis <Manh: Architecture,
Archaeology and Social Structure of a Traditional Omani settlement>.

I shall be interested to hear from people interested in this area and in
willing to collaborate. Hhope to hear from you very soon,

Soumyen Bandyopadhyay, lecturer
School of Architecture & Building Engineering, The University of Liverpool
Leverhulme Building, Abercromby Square
Liverpool, L69 3BX


LIST OF PUBLICATIONS
1996	"Representation of the Cultural Palimpsest: The Case of Manh in Oman,
With Special Reference to the Relationship of Water to the Places of
Worship", Al Sayyad, Nezar (ed.) Multiple Voices/ Contested Representations:
Imagery and Identity, Traditional Dwellings and Settlements Working Paper
Series, International Association for the Study of Traditional Environments
(IASTE), University of California, Berkeley, 1996, Vol. 83, pp. 1-38 . 

1996	"Representation of the Cultural Palimpsest: The Case of Manh in Inner
Oman", (independent synopsis of above), Traditional Dwellings and
Settlements Review (ISSN 1050-2092), Fall 1996,Vol. 8, No. 1, pp. 30-1. 

1994	"Settlement Planning and Housing in Modern Oman: A Climatologically
Appropriate Solution?", Buildings and the Environment, Central Institute of
Building (CIB), Netherland & The Building Research Establishment (BRE), UK
(BRE Code EP10), Rotterdam & Watford, Section: Countries, Paper: 4. 

1994	"The Deserted Village of Manah: An Ibadi-Omani Settlement, A Brief
Description of Settlement Pattern and Dwellings", Cockburn, Charles and
Orbasli, Aylin (eds.), Architecture and Planning in the Developing World,
(ISBN 0 904761 42 8), Institute of Advanced Architectural Studies (IoAAS),
University of York, 1994, pp. 37-43. 

1993 	"Housing and Modern Built Environment in Oman", Elgohary, Amr (ed.)
Proceedings of10th Inter-Schools Conference on Development, (ISBN
1-898932-00-X) Graduate School Publications, University college London
(UCL), London, pp. 43-54. 

1992	"Rethinking Progress: The Case of Oman, An Investigation into its Built
Environment", AlSayyad, Nezar (ed.),Housing, Squatter Communities and
Tradition, Traditional Dwellings and Settlements Working Paper Series,
IASTE, University of California, Berkeley, 1992, Vol. 51. 

1992	"The Traditional Architecture of Oman", Traditional Dwellings and
Settlements Review (ISSN 1050-2092), Vol. 4, No. 1, Fall 1992, pp. 64-5. 

1992	"Housing and Settlement Development in Present Day Oman: Energy Issues
and Comfort Conditions", published in proceedings, Housing Technology and
Socio-Economic Change - XXth IAHS World Congress on Housing, International
Association of Housing Science (IAHS), Birmingham & Miami, 1992, Vol. 2, pp.
1-18.